Festival of Charity features recognitions, entertainment, food, fun

The third annual Festival of Charity, sponsored by West Central Missouri Community Action Agency, will be held Thursday, September 28, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in Harrisonville at the Harrisonville Community Center, 2400 Jefferson Parkway. Highlighting the event is recognition of two outstanding Cass County organizations, Hope Haven and Heart-n-Hand Day Center. In addition, free entertainment, pulled pork concessions, a silent auction, and a 50/50 raffle will be included in the evening’s activities.

The event’s purpose is to spotlight and honor charitable organizations and community supporters throughout the region. West Central President and CEO Chris Thompson commented, “We look forward to welcoming partner organizations, representatives of city governments, charitable groups, and families in the community.”

Two Cass County organizations, the Heart-n-Hand Day Center and Hope Haven, are receiving special recognition for their work within the county. Each organization is being awarded $500 for their service to special needs populations. Heart-n-Hand Day Center, located in Belton, serves Cass and Jackson Counties with resources for individuals, including meals, showers, laundry facilities, emergency food assistance, gas cards, and thrift store vouchers. Customers can also meet with case workers and replace identification cards. Additional information may be viewed at www.heartnhand.org.  Hope Haven, located in Harrisonville, is an accredited resource for disability services and advocacy. The organization serves children, adults, and families who have physical, mental, intellectual, residential, vocational, and spiritual needs. Learn more at www.hopehaven.org.

Festival of Charity entertainment will be provided by Centerline, a Missouri-based group which appears throughout the Midwest. Silent auction items include quilts, gift baskets, tickets to several shows and zoos, and many other items. Pulled pork sandwiches will be available at a concession stand. The drawing for the event’s 50/50 raffle will also take place. Raffle tickets are still available, and may be purchased on-site at the Festival.

West Central Missouri Community Action Agency is a non-profit 501c3 that serves 9 counties: Bates, Benton, Cass, Cedar, Henry, Hickory, Morgan, St. Clair, and Vernon. This is the third annual Festival of Charity; while all charitable organizations within the region are being honored, each year the event rotates to a different location, with a couple of charitable organizations receiving special recognition within that county. Previous events have been held in St. Clair and Cedar County. We appreciate the continued support of communities in all nine counties, and look forward to hosting a Festival of Charity there in the future!

For additional information about this year’s Festival of Charity, visit the West Central Facebook page, see www.wcmcaa.org, or contact Debbie Vickers, dvickers@wcmcaa.org.